Teen Girl Rescued from Locked Bed Box in Guwahati After Six Years of Abuse
13-year-old domestic help found in severely weakened condition; accused had hidden her anticipating raid
Assam's District Labour Task Force rescued a 13-year-old girl from inside a locked storage box of a bed in Guwahati on Sunday, uncovering years of physical abuse and illegal child labour. The girl had been employed as domestic help for six years.
Video footage of the rescue operation circulated widely on social media, triggering massive public outrage.
Tip-Off Leads to Rescue
Local residents raised complaints about the girl being employed as domestic help and subjected to continuous physical abuse. Acting on the tip-off, a District Labour Task Force team visited the location on Sunday evening.
The accused, identified as Arina Laskar Khatun, initially denied the girl's presence, claiming her father had taken her away a few days earlier.
Girl Hidden Anticipating Raid
Suspecting a possible raid, the accused woman allegedly hid the girl inside the bed's divan storage box, where she remained trapped for nearly 25 minutes until officials arrived.
When the team noted suspicious behavior and sought permission to inspect the premises, the family resisted, claiming a child was asleep and should not be disturbed. After repeated requests, officials were finally allowed to check the room.
Severely Weakened Condition
During the search, forces discovered the minor girl hidden inside the bed box in a severely weakened state. She was immediately removed from the confined space.
After regaining consciousness, the girl broke down in tears. She subsequently admitted to being employed as domestic help for nearly six years and confirmed she had been subjected to repeated physical abuse throughout her employment.
Legal Action Expected
Authorities immediately removed the girl from the premises and placed her under protective care. A detailed investigation is underway, with further legal action expected against the accused under child labour laws and provisions related to physical abuse of minors.